What Heroism Feels Like
by A-Writing-Wren
Summary: In a world where you can feel your soulmates emotions as physical sensation, Cat feels what it's like for Kara to save Alex's plane.


It is a perfectly ordinary Friday night.

She's in the living room, a glass of wine in one hand, a book in the other, mother had trashed in a review. She's rather enjoying it. The protagonist is a strong bisexual female that Cat can almost feel herself identifying with. It's no wonder her disapproving 'old fashioned' mother had given it a bad wrap.

Carter is on the other end of the couch playing one of his video games with the volume on low. Every now and then he'll let out a frustrated huff, or a small cheer of victory. When he cheers he'll look over at Cat with a bright smile that she always returns, then they'll return to their respective activities contentedly.

Kara is out for drinks with her friends, as she does every second friday. People from work mostly, Kara with her sunny disposition some how manages to have friends all over the building despite the fact that everyone knows she's Cat's soulmate, and their first instinct is to avoid her.

Kara had once tried to convince Cat to come out with them, on a night when Carter was with his father, hoping to prove to her friends that Cat was all bark and no bite.

Cat had refused citing the fact that she had an image to maintain, and that while she could get away with being kind to Kara in public, she refused to risk her reputation by being nice to everyone Kara befriended. That would after all mean being nice to _everyone_ and would fly in the face of the business persona she had so carefully crafted. Kara had pouted but relented.

Kara had then proceeded to act like she'd had too much to drink, until her friends had no choice but to call someone to come and pick her up. Alex, according to ' _drunk'_ Kara had been away for a medical conference, which meant they'd had no option but to call Cat.

Cat had known full well that Kara wasn't actually drunk, that was basically impossible with her metabolism, and Cat hadn't felt woozy. Kara's friends, however, had no way of knowing that Kara couldn't be, and wasn't, drunk. Which was the story of how Cat had been caught out in public, in jeans and a sweater -which she had attempted to hide under a leather jacket- politely smiling and thanking employees so far down the food chain she'd had no idea they even worked at Catco, for looking after her over enthusiastic girlfriend. Kara had been so convincing an actress that one of the IT hobbits had needed to help Cat walk her to the car.

Even after that night he still couldn't look Cat in the eye, but he was always one of the first to volunteer help if Cat needed something and Kara wasn't around, apparently bolstered by the fact that she hadn't fired him for helping her in the past.

Kara still found the whole thing hilarious. Cat did too, and she knew Kara could feel her amusement whenever they talked about it, but she'd never admit it aloud.

After that night Kara had never tried anything like it again, just offered Cat an open invitation, and gone about her evenings. It was nice. Most times Cat would get a chance to unwind with Carter, and bask in the warm spark of amusement and joy that would flicker across their bond from Kara's end of their connection, cheeks tingle with the feeling of smile wide than Cat's own.

It is a perfectly ordinary Friday night. Then it isn't.

One moment everything was content, as close to blissful as things could be without Kara's arms around her. The next Cat felt her heart rate spike dramatically.

Panic.

It had to be panic. Physical exertion was something Kara felt.

Cat tossed her book to the side, making Carter jump, and started digging through the couch cushions for her phone.

The frantic pace of her heart didn't subside, as she searched she felt the pressure on her brow that meant Kara was being determined about something.

"Mum," Carter asked, lowering his controller. "What's going on?"

"I don't know honey," Cat said, finally locating her phone. "Kara's just feeling some pretty intense emotions, and I- Oh."

Cat felt weightless. It had been a very long time since Cat had felt weightless. She looked down just to make sure she was still on her couch, even though she knew she couldn't actually fly. But Kara could, and this feeling, this was exactly how Cat felt when she did. Whatever was going on, Kara had felt the need to fly. It had to be something newsworthy.

"Carter, could you switch the TV to the news?" Carter, bless him, did not have to be asked twice and sprung into action to grab the tv remote off the coffee table.

While he fiddled with the controls, Cat punched Kara's number into her phone. Her fingers tapped impatiently at her thigh as she listened to the dial tone, hoping that Kara would feel the sensation in her fingertips and realised she had to answer her damn phone.

"Mum, look!"

Kara was not going to answer her phone. She was too busy holding up a plane. Alex's plane to Geneva, if the flight number on the report was correct. No wonder Cat's heart felt like she was running a marathon. No wonder Kara had decided to fly for the first time in almost ten years.

Cat let the phone slip through her fingers, and reached blindly for Carter, unable to take her eyes from the TV. She could hardly feel anything other than the weightlessness that came from Kara's flight, and the iciness of worry that pressed against her lungs with every inhale. She wasn't sure if it was Kara's worry or her own.

Carter seemed to realise this and shifted to help ground her.

He held both of her hands with his, but he didn't come close enough to be held. Cat dragged her gaze from the television, her concern for Kara tempered by her concern for her son. His was posture hunched and tight, and she could tell his worry for Kara was making him want to shut down, but still he stood there and held her hands tight. He stared at the screen like he could will Kara to succeed.

They watched together as Kara maneuvered the plane through the turrets of the bridge, and brought it down for a water landing. Cat felt her skin buzz at how the cold water sent a shock through Kara's system, and her heartbeat finally began to slow. They watched until Kara climbed out onto the wing. Cat could feel the pride that swelled in Kara as pressure under her breastbone, and the wonderment Kara felt at her achievement in the fuzzy tingling in her scalp.

It wasn't hard to pinpoint the moment Kara made eye contact with Alex through the plane's window. Not visually, but because Kara's relief rolled through her, like a wave of warm water, that helped to melt the ice around her lungs.

"They're ok," Cat said sinking back into the cushions of the couch. "They're both ok, Carter."

He nodded shortly and let go of her hands. Cat missed the contact, but she understood. Some of the tension had drained from him when she'd told him Kara and Alex were okay, but he was still hunched. His fingers curled into loose fists as he avoided looking towards her.

"Thank you for helping me through that Carter, it meant a lot to me."

He nodded again, his gaze fixing on some point behind her and to the left. By his sides his hands relaxed cluing Cat in to the fact that he was relieved his efforts had been the correct response and that they had appreciated. Cat felt a pang of affection, for her son and smiled softly even though she knew he wasn't looking. The affection she felt echoed, back across her bond with Kara as a soft vibration in her abdomen. It didn't matter that Kara had no way of knowing what had caused a spike in Cat's affection, it mattered that Kara and felt it and it had prompted her to focus on her own affection for her loved ones. Cat's smile widened just a fraction.

The feeling of weightlessness returned, comfortable now that it was slightly more expected. Cat knew Kara would by flying straight home.

"Why don't you start getting ready for bed?" She asked, using the softer tone she knew he preferred when he was having an episode. It was a little early for a weekend night, but she knew he'd find comfort in going through the routine. "Kara should be back in time to wish you goodnight."

He nodded again, and shuffled out of the room.

Once he rounded the corner out of view Cat sprung to her feet, half expecting the action to send her flying. The sensation of weightlessness felt less like she was standing and more like she was floating, with something brushing against her feet. She took a second to adjust to the feeling and then marched through the house to the balcony attached to her bedroom.

She could feel Kara's excitement, in little bursts of energy exploding with every heartbeat, and the joy she felt at flying, as warmth pooling in her extremities. It was intoxicating, and it only grew stronger the closer Kara got to home.

"Cat, did you see, Cat?" Kara landed on the balcony with a little too much momentum, cracking a few tiles underfoot, and making her take a few steps forward to steady herself. She used the momentum to bundle Cat into her arms. "Cat, are you feeling this?"

Distantly Cat could feel her own emotions.

The fear for Kara and Alex that she hadn't had time to process. Her worry for Carter. Her worry for Kara, now that she had revealed herself so spectacularly. Her relief at being in Kara's arms, and her distaste that those arms were wet with river water and probably jet fuel.

But for now Kara's emotions had the floor, and Cat couldn't help but laugh at the amount of joy and love she was radiating.

They would talk about everything Cat had felt later. For now all that mattered was getting Kara into a shower, and wishing their darling boy sweet dreams. With only those two goals in mind, Cat pushed herself up on her toes, and pressed a kiss to Kara's cheek.

"Yes Kara, I'm feeling this."


End file.
